


it's a reasonable sacrifice

by aisu10



Category: The Avengers (2012)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Gender Changes, Birthday, Dr. Pepperony - Freeform, F/F, F/M, Fluff, Genderbending, Genderbent Dr. Pepperony, Genderswap, Multi, cuteness, it's also really funny if i do say so myself
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-08-09
Updated: 2012-08-09
Packaged: 2017-11-11 18:43:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,201
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/481657
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aisu10/pseuds/aisu10
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's Bryce Banner's birthday and Tony has no idea what to get for her.</p>
            </blockquote>





	it's a reasonable sacrifice

**Author's Note:**

  * For [weatheredlaw](https://archiveofourown.org/users/weatheredlaw/gifts).



> Written as a birthday present for Cat (yugimutos) who also inspired the fic with her lovely musings~
> 
> Also, [check out our cast](http://aisu10.tumblr.com/post/27752381220/bryce-pepper-tony-genderbent-au-fic-coming) for this genderbent au!

It's the night before Bryce's birthday and Tony's just realized that she hasn't yet bought her a gift. Pepper, of course, has, but he won't tell Tony what it is because he's convinced that Tony won't be able to keep it a secret to Bryce. Tony crosses her arms and pouts and yanks on Pepper's tie but he won't budge, and he simply suggests she just go ask the birthday girl what she wants.

Tony walks into the lab to find Bryce in a labcoat, messy curls twisted into a bun on the back of her head. She's measuring something out in a vial, doing some science that Tony is too distracted to ask about because, _damn_ , Bryce looks fucking _great_ in a labcoat. 

"I thought it was your birthday, not mine," Tony says as she strides up to the doctor and looks her up and down, wiggling an eyebrow suggestively. 

Bryce can't stop a small smile from tugging at the edge of her lips and she places the vial down and turns toward Tony, leaning against the table. 

"It's not my birthday yet, Tony," Bryce replies as she tugs her sleeves down from where they're bunched around her elbows. 

"Details, details." Tony waves a hand in the air. "Tell me what you want." 

Bryce raises her eyebrows, clearly having not expected such a blatant question. "Straight to the point, I see." 

"Well, yeah," says Tony, shrugging, "I can't get you something you'll like if I don't know what you want." 

Bryce finishes with her sleeves and straightens out the front of her labcoat. "What if I don't want to tell you?" 

"Then I'll have to make you," Tony says, and reaches out to snatch her glasses from her nose and shove them in her back pocket before leaning in to kiss Bryce full on the mouth. Bryce doesn't protest, reciprocating the kiss and wrapping her arms around Tony's neck as Tony slides her hands down the front of Bryce's labcoat. When their lips part, Tony keeps their foreheads pressed together, grinning from ear to ear. 

"I'm still not telling," Bryce tells her softly, kissing her on the nose once to distract her from the hand that's sneaking down her back to retrieve her glasses. She places them neatly on her face again and turns back to her work. 

\---

"She wants sex," says Tony, "Dirty, kinky sex." 

Pepper looks up from the book he's reading and shoots Tony and narrow gaze. "She didn't tell you anything, did she?" 

Tony leans on the doorway, sighing. "Nope." 

"Is sex _really_ the best thing you can come up with?" Pepper chuckles. 

"Well, if she's not telling me, it's got to be something _filthy_ , right?" 

"Not necessarily." 

"Yeah, whatever," Tony says as she approaches the couch, rolling her eyes. "She doesn't really like it when I buy her things anyway. She's so stubborn." 

She flops down on Pepper's knees and flings an arm out dramatically. "I guess I'll just have to give her my body. Not that I mind, of course." 

"I hope that works out for you," Pepper says with a smirk, leaning forward to kiss Tony's forehead sweetly before falling back again and continuing to read. 

"I'd give you my body too if you tell me what you got her." 

"Not a chance, Ms. Stark." 

\---

The next morning Tony does the best she can to make up for the lack of a material gift. She takes Bryce out for breakfast at her favorite cafe, helps her finish up her science in the lab, and has JAMIE play all her favorite songs throughout the entire tower. They eat lunch on the roof while discussing the significance of the Higgs-Boson particle and then make out for a bit before curling up on the couch to watch a movie. That evening Tony's just about to ask where Bryce wants to go to dinner when Pepper approaches the couch, dressed in a fancier-than-usual suit and tie, and announces that they're going to Bryce's favorite bistro - not the fanciest place in town, but the one she always enjoys going to the most. 

"That's your present?" Tony whispers _loudly_ , and Pepper shakes his head. 

"I'll go get ready, then," Bryce says with a genuine smile, uncurling herself from Tony's clutching limbs and heading off to her bedroom to change into something a bit more formal. Tony sticks her tongue out at Pepper, but leaves to get changed as well. 

"Trying to steal my science girlfriend's heart!" she whines from the doorway, and Pepper gives her a smug smirk. 

"You had all day with her. It's only fair that I get a turn too." 

"She's mine again as soon as dinner is over," Tony grumbles as she turns and leaves. 

\---

They all meet in the lobby of the tower where a limo is waiting to take them to the bistro. Bryce has put her curls up and changed into a deep purple, form-fitting dress and Tony has dressed herself in a tailored red suit and golden heels because she's just that flashy. Pepper stops them before they can walk out the door, saying, "I'd like to give you my gift now, Bryce." 

Tony watches with a frown as he turns to Bryce and procures a small velvet box from his pocket that Tony knows contains some sort of fancy-ass jewelry. Of _course_ , she thinks, he'd get her something girly and - 

There's a sharp intake of breath from Bryce as Pepper opens the box to reveal a string of the most delicate, glistening pearls Tony has ever seen. Bryce looks on the verge of tears as she takes the box from Pepper to take a closer look, adjusting her glasses on her nose and tilting the pearls so they change color in the light filtering in from the city outside. 

"They're beautiful," she practically gushes, and Tony's never seen a look like that on her face before. 

"You're beautiful," Pepper corrects her, walking around to stand over her shoulder and remove the pearls from the box himself, raising them to Bryce's neck and clasping them on for her. Bryce immediately turns to kiss him chastely on the lips, looking up at him with a smile as bright as the precious necklace she now wears. 

"How did you know?" she asks, "I wouldn't even tell Tony." 

"Lucky guess," Pepper says simply, grinning at her and then over at Tony. 

"Alright, alright, enough with the sap," Tony interrupts, a grumpy look on her face. Bryce takes her by the arm and kisses her as well. When she pulls away, she fingers the pearls and smiles at them both. 

"I just want to say... thanks. To _both_ of you," she says softly, and slowly turns her eyes downward. "I don't think anyone's ever cared this much about my birthday." 

"We care!" Tony exclaims immediately. Pepper laughs and says, "Let's not keep the limo waiting any longer, then." 

"Right," Tony says, and she pulls Bryce closer as they exit the tower. "I have another present for you when we get back." 

"Does it involve me taking that gaudy red suit off you with my teeth?" 

Tony gasps. "How did you _know?_ ” 

"Lucky guess," Bryce laughs.


End file.
